Articles:

Current Issue: 430
30 June 09 - 06 July 09

Latest 7 issue 430 cover

Our printed magazine

Latest 7 magazine is read by over 100,000 people every week and is available at over 1,000 outlets across the South.

Find out more about us and our distribution.

» Mark Thomas interview

Victoria Nangle chats to comedian, activist, novelist and policy collector Mark Thomas


Mark Thomas is enjoying the sunshine, but more than that, he’s enjoying his new tour. Obviously there’s going to be some political content to it – this is Mark Thomas, scourge of the status quo and campaigner for the little people. But how will it manifest? So I asked him – what’s the show about?
“Okay. It’s a comedy show, and basically what I do is I ask people to come up with suggestions for policies to improve our lives and make the world a better place. And people put forward their policies and then we discuss them in the show and then we vote on them and we choose a policy and I go and campaign upon it.” That sounds brilliant. And he’s had some classic policies come out of it so far. “Some of them we’ve started working on already. The good thing is there’s loads of really really good ideas. It’s really fun to do.” Any examples? “Last night when we were in Manchester they insisted on having two policies. The policy at one was that you should have a recall system for MPs so that you can sign a petition and recall an MP back to their constituency now and again. The other one that won was that there should be an age of consent for religion.” Read the rest of this article »

» Will it always be funny?

Victoria Nangle thinks funny now might not be funny later – and vice versa

It’s funny the way one person gets a joke and another just simply doesn’t see the point. I’ve been on both ends of this phenomenon – both telling a gag that others have got previously and on this occasion gazed into a sea of uncomprehending faces, and I’ve been an uncomprehending face amongst a sea of laughter. Neither is particularly nice. I know I’m just one small tweak away from nirvana and somehow it’s eluding me. And I don’t think I’m the only one this happens to. In fact I know I’m not, as when I don’t get it there’s usually a mate sitting next to me not getting it too, and when others don’t get me – well, I’ve seen other people with a good idea that’s ‘going to be’ a gag on that journey before it properly becomes funny. Read the rest of this article »

» Energetic comedy?

Victoria Nangle contemplates the energy that goes into comedy and how much she has to give

The Fringe is over! Wasn’t it fun? And I surprised myself by taking part and getting a gig to perform in, as well as the 20 odd shows I went to see for myself. So nice to feel involved from all sides. An old doozie came up while the running order for the show I was in was being cemented. The compere turned to all us new act comics sitting in the holding pen, and asked us how much energy we had.
It’s alright, she wasn’t about to ask for 20 press-ups. In ordering a well placed line-up it’s important to know how much energy an act brings to the stage with their performance. Will they be swinging from the chandeliers in an homage to Lee Evans with their high energy, or deadpan to the world like Jack Dee. It’s a fair point, and one I’ve considered when organising line-ups myself. I’ve just never really thought about how much energy I had. Read the rest of this article »

» Geoff Norcott interview

Victoria Nangle chats to comic, TV presenter, radio writer, sports fan and romantic Geoff Norcott


Geoff Norcott is watching the cricket. He’s at the England Versus West Indies Test Match and he’s taken five minutes out to talk to me. But, as he admits himself, “To be fair it‘s cricket, so we could talk for five minutes and still nothing might have happened.” He’s prepared to take the gamble of being distracted by me. So what’s this new Edinburgh show all about? Read the rest of this article »

Page 1 of 2012345»...Last »
Latest Brighton Chart
Listings online